Monday Message

"We call upon priesthood bearers to store sufficient so that you and your family can weather the vicissitudes of life. Please see to it that those entrusted to your watchcare receive these two pamphlets entitled All Is Safely Gathered In. Exhort them to prepare now for rainy days ahead." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

Well we keep getting major snowstorms. In the middle of the second storm this week (at the time I'm writing this) they just said another is coming early next week, this one won't quite be over with when we get hit again.

So this is a good time to mention - are your winter things built up? If you are in summer right now, work on getting ready for when you will have winter again. We got twelve inches of snow in the first storm then this one is to be ten inches though I am not sure how one would measure as winds are drifting the snow. The back door has a drift up to my knees, the front door half of that drifted, but there are drifts all over.

It feels like ten below zero for now but this will be the warmest as the next days through Tuesday we'll see -45 so very cold temps are coming.

Then another storm. Makes me glad for storage.

Yesterday knowing this blizzard was coming today, I made two loaves of bread - one cinnamon swirl,  one plain. When cooled, I sliced all and put half of each in the freezer. I made granola and yogurt. I discovered on the yogurt that my house is too cold so I have to empty the jar of water and refill it again with hot water, so I will be doing that going forward through these colder months. The bread rises well because I set it by an oven vent while preheating the oven. 

We have kerosene lamps with oil as well. If we lose power (which could happen) our generator is working and is full of gas. We can manually turn on the gas fireplace if needed and I can still cook on top of the stove only if the power is out.

So these are what preps we have here.

I did oven stuff yesterday because I can't use the oven when power goes out.

Just something to think about. I learn from others who have gone through storms like when a huge ice storm hit many years ago when we all were just having email, this gal told of the hard time they had going through an ice storm. Here's some of the things she did...she would light little candles and put them in jars on top of the toilet tanks for the night (I think that now a days your little battery candles would give enough light for needing light in bathrooms). She said what drove her the most crazy was dirty carpets because this lasted for weeks and bringing in wood to burn made a mess. She wished she had a carpet sweeper. I had this in mind when I saw one at a yard sale for seventy-five cents. I bought it and use it in between vacuuming, so if I need it I have it.

Just the crazies going on here I say...hoping your new year is off to a better start.

I have been thinking on skills and how much I rely on my having skills like baking bread, making granola and yogurt were just a few, sewing clothes, mending clothes, you all saw me adjust suits - I never could have done that without some sewing skills. So skill building is a high priority.

https://www.allfreecrochet.com/Tips-for-Crochet/Crochet-for-Beginners-How-to-Start-Crocheting - good to learn as well.

https://www.favequilts.com/Beginner-Basics/Back-to-Basics-Quilting-Tips-for-Beginners - even using old clothes can be made into quilts. I have some very old blocks that someone made by hand, not machine, they never finished them into quilts. I plan to make a table runner maybe if there are not enough to do a quilt.

I took a picture of them but wanted you to be able to see the back of one. It is worn-out jeans, look at that hole. They used everything and we should too. Don't let anything go to waste.

https://www.allfreesewing.com/Basics-and-Tutorials/Beginner-Sewing-Videos-Learn-to-Sew-Tutorials -  we all need to learn this skill, even if only to mend.

https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knitting-Tutorials/Knitting-Class#google_vignette - you can use this skill to make clothing. If you scroll down, you can see part one and two and other helpful knitting tutorials.

You can make useful things to wear, here is a cowl I have going in progress. This will dress up a church dress or two. But I have made ones for wearing out in the cold.

We need to build our skills.

Yarn is expensive (very expensive) so if you haven't yarn to use or want to make an item... https://blog.tincanknits.com/2021/02/04/how-to-recycle-yarn-from-second-hand-sweaters/ you can undo certain sweaters as she shows here, saving the yarn to make another item like a sweater or mittens or hats scarves. This gal, by the way, has great free patterns on her site.

You can do the same with sewing, I have a nightgown that I plan on using to make a slip from.

Being able to remake things is a great reason for having a sewing skill.

Remember to use everything. Don't be so quick to purchase something you can figure out. I am wanting to learn tambour embroidery but to do so I needed organza fabric which I did not have, so I went to Salvation Army and bought a curtain which was way way cheaper than going to the fabric store. Next thing I needed was a stand so I can have one hand on top and the other hand under it...so I am turning a stool upside down and will affix the hoop or frame to this "stand." I also like to do shadow applique, organza is good for that too. So thinking on what you can do with what you have is a skill as well.

Things are not getting cheaper so learn to be as frugal as you can be.

Dee shared this gal in the comments, I am enjoying her frugal ideas - https://www.youtube.com/@FrugalQueeninFrance. Thank you, Dee!

Missy says sometimes it is good to think outside the box or, in her case, a brown bag.

Tippy Longstockings says when a storm rages outside, lay in front of the fireplace and be sure and roll over to warm your belly too.